Lifting gill-nets



l 2 shts-sheet 2. P. GAGNON'Sn W. F. AHEARN.

L'ITING GILL NETS.

No. 539,679. Patented May 21, 1895.

l(No Model.)

Nrrnn STA-Tas APATENT.

Finca.

PETER GAGNON AND IVILLIAM F. AHEARN, OF TWO RIVERS, WISCONSIN.

LIFTING clLL-NETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,679, dated May 21, 1895.

Application led July 28,1894. Serial No. 512,850. (No model.)

.To all whom t may con/067%:

Be it known that we, PETER GAGNON and WILLIAM F. AHEARN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Two Rivers, in the county of Manitowoc, and in the State of Wiscousin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifting Gill-Nets; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention has for its object to provide of the first figure; Fig. 4, a front elevation of tion of the circumference of a circle.

a portion of the aforesaid machine, and Fig. 5 a detail view of a brake-actuating treadle embodied in our invention.

Referring by letter to the drawings A represents the base and B O a pair of parallel standards rising therefrom, the latter standard being of greater dimensions than the other and provided with an inturned cam-flange D,

the extent of this flange being the major por- The standards are provided with bearings for a power-shaft E, and fast on the shaft adjacent to the standard B is a wheel F having its periphery opposed by a friction-band G, one end of the latterbeing fast to a lateral stud h on said standard and its other end joined to a treadle H alsoconnected with the aforesaid standard. The wheel F has its inner side provided with radial ribs I that extend beyond its periphery, the extensions being curved in an outward direction and preferably faced with strips c of rubber. We also show each rib provided with a longitudinal slot d for engagement with a set-bolt e that carries a guard J, the latter being at a right angle to said rib, and it follows that the position of the guard depends onA the adjustment of the set-bolt in the rib-slot.

Fast on the shaft E in opposition to the wheel F is a spider K and pivoted in radial recesses of the spider are the'inner ends of arms L that oppose the ribs on the aforesaid wheel. The arms extend outward as far as the Wheelribs and their outer ends are curved `in a direction. opposite to the curvature of said ribs.

' Thewheel-ribs and pivotal spider arms constitute clamp-jaws for the lead and corklines of a gill-net, the number and disposition of the clamps being proportionate to the distance between corks, although by means of the radially adjustable guards J on said ribs it is possible to utilize the same machine for nets that differ from each other in the ar-v rangement of corks. Spiral-springs fare interposed between the jaws to automatically open vthe clamps and the guards J are upturned at their free ends to limitthe outward play of those jaws that are pivoted to the spider on the rotative shaft.

Pivoted in recesses in the arms or clampjaws L, so as to be limited as togmovement in either direction, `are carriers M for antifriction rollers Nthat work on the face of the cam D above specified. The clamp-jaws L are swung in on their pivots by the contact of the'anti-friction rollers N with one inclined terminal of the cam, and the expansive force of the springs f operates to return said jaws to normal. position, as said anti-friction rollers pass along the other inclined terminal of said cam. As a means to prevent contact of any of the anti-friction rollers with the cam, we employ a bell-crank arranged to rockin the standard C, the outer arm P of this crank being connected with said standard by a spiral-spring g and joined bya link h to alever Q fulcrumed on the aforesaid standard. Stops t' are arranged to limit the movement of the lever in either direction and-the spring g operates to keep the inner arm R of the bell-crank out of the path of the carriers for the anti-friction rollers or to automatically return said bell-crank arm to normal position on the release of the aforesaid lever. A carrier having been thrown out of the path of the'cam D it travels along underthe same and subsequently comes into contact with an other cam S on the standard C to be thereby restored to normal position.

We have shown fenders T connecting the standards B, C, these fenders being forami- IOO described the clampsare successively closed y on the lead and cork lines of the net, the latter coming above the guards J, and the rubber strips in said clamps act to prevent the latter from slipping on said lines.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a powerful leverage is exerted to lift the net and if at any time there is any liability of a clamp closing on a fish in said net, the lever Q, is operated to throw the carrier M relative to said clamp out of the way of the cam D, the fish being removed in the meantime by an attendant.

At any time it is desirable to check or stop the rotation of the clamps above described, the friction-band is operated by the treadle connected thereto, it being understood that the powershaft is in belt and pulley connection with a suitable motor, but any suitable gear and brake may be employed.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A gill-net lifting-machine comprising a series of automatically opening and closing clamps radiating from a rotative shaft.

2. A gill-net lifting-machine comprising a series of automatically opening and closing clamps radiating from a rotative shaft,.anda lever mechanism operative at will to prevent closing ot' a clamp.

3. Algill-net lifting-machine comprising a series of automatically opening and closing clamps radiating from a rotative shaft, anda brake-mechanism controlling the travel of the clamps.

4. A gill-net-lifting-machine comprising a series of automatically opening and closing clamps radiating from a rotative shaft, and

rubber facing on a jaw of each clamp.

5. A gill-net lifting-machine comprising a base, a pair of parallel standards thereon, a cam extended inward from one of the standards,a power-shaft having its bearings in the standards, radial clamps carried by the shaft, springs interposed between the clampjaws, and devices carried by loose clamp-jaws to work on the cam.

6. A gill-net lifting-machine `comprising a base, a pair of parallel standards thereon, a cam extended inward from one of the sta11dards, a power-shaft having its bearings in the standards, radial clamps carried by the shaft, springs interposed between theclamp-jaws, devices carried by loose clamp-jaws to work on the cam, a lever-mechanism for throwing any of said devices out of line with said cam, and other suitable means for effecting the automatic return of the displaced device or devices.

7. A gill-net lifting-machine comprising a base, a pair of parallel standards thereon, a cam extended inward from one of the standards, a power-shaft having its bearings in the standards, radial clamps carried by the shaft, springs interposed between the clamp-jaws, devices carried by loose clamp-jaws to work on the cam, and a brake `for regulating' or stopping the rotation of `:the shaft.

8. A gillnet lifting-machine comprising a series of rotative radial clamps, a facing of rubber on at least one jaw ot' each clamp, and

suitable means for automatically closing and opening said clamps.

9. A gill-net.lifting-machine comprising a series of rotative radial clamps, suitable means for automatically closing and opening the clamps, and a guard extending from a jaw ot' each clamp to lap the opposing jaw.

10. A gill-net lifting-machine comprising a series of rotative radial clamps, suitable means for automatically closing and opening the clamps, and a guard adjustable longitudinally of a jaw of each clamp and lapping on the opposing jaw.

ll. A gill-net lifting-machine comprising a series of rotative radial clamps, suitable means for automatically closing and opening the clamps, and a guard extended from a jaw of each clamp to lap the opposing jaw and limit outward movement of the latter jaw.

12. A gill-net lifting-machine comprising a base, a pair of parallel standards one of which is provided with an inwardly extended cam, a powershafthaving its bearings in the stand ards, radial clamps carried by the shaft, springs interposed between the clampq'aws, devices carriedby loose clamp-jaws to work on the cam, a lever-mechanism for throwing any of said devices out of line with said cam, another cam arranged to return any and all of the displaced devices to normal position, and a brake for regulating or stopping the rotation of said shaft.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands, at Two Rivers, in the county of Manitowoc and State of Visconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER GAGN ON. WILLIAM F. AHEARN. XVitnesses:

W. J. WRIETH, H. M. WALKER.

TCO

TIO 

